Former President Trump defended ally Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Monday after Trump’s shoutout to the South Carolina Republican during his rally in the state prompted boos from the crowd.
“Another man who’s always there, he’s always – I’ll tell you what, when I need help [from] the left. He’s great. He’s great. And he’s my friend, too. Lindsey Graham, wherever you are, Lindsey. Thank you,” Trump said while speaking to supporters in Summerville, S.C., prompting boos from the attendees.
“Oh, no, no. He helps me on the left. We need help sometimes. Republicans shouldn’t need help from the left, but he helps me,” the former president said in response.
It’s not the first time Graham’s name has prompted boos from a Trump crowd. During a Trump rally in Pickens, S.C., in July, the senator was called a “traitor” and received boos from attendees. In April, a New Hampshire crowd booed the mention of Graham’s name during a Trump event in which the former president referred to the South Carolina Republican as “progressive.”
Graham has at times worked with Democrats in the Senate, including helping the Biden administration advance judicial nominees, drawing ire from other conservatives.
The South Carolina senator’s relationship with Trump has evolved since Trump took office in 2016 as a former-critic-turned-ally.